Office of Educational Equity

Educational Equity Day of Dialogue

The first Equity Day of Dialogue convened education partners across Colorado to highlight the recently published Report on Educational Equity, and included data and action plan. The event included guest speaker Dr. Wil Del Pilar from the Education Trust, a student and IHE president panel, and concluded with a signing ceremony of institutional and state leaders.

Watch the full event recording

Objectives/key deliverables:

·       State of Equity address communicating the significance of educational equity work and associated data - not only now, but where we want to go

·       Communication of this action plan developed as part of the ECC Report and plan for continued engagement of partners

·       Initial pledge and signing with campus presidents and student organizations committing to the work outlined in this report

Report on Educational Equity / Informe Sobre Equidad Educativa 

Read the Report on Educational Equity

Leer el Informe Sobre Equidad Educativa

Proclamation of Educational Equity  

On March 15, 2021 Governor Jared Polis signed the below proclamation that March 15, 2021 is Educational Equity Day. Read the proclamation here.

The Pledge to Educational Equity

Read the The Pledge

The Signing Ceremony

Gov. Polis along with Rep. Leslie Herod, from House District 8, Vanecia Kerr, chair of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, Dr. Ryan Ross, associate vice chancellor for student affairs and equity and inclusion at the Colorado Community College System and David Olguin, student advisor to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, led legislators, college and university presidents, students, and partners through the signing ceremony. Nearly 60 organizations across Colorado have signed on to the equity pledge. 
 

Event Agenda / Videos

12:30pm        Welcome & Keynote
                       Dr. Angie Paccione,Colorado Department of Higher Education
                       Dr. Wil Del Pilar, Education Trust

1:05pm          Report on Educational Equity
                       Richard Mizerak, Colorado Department of Higher Education
                       Maria de la Cruz, Pueblo Community College and 
                       Dr. Melanie Hulbert, Western Colorado University 

1:35pm          Break

1:40pm          Panel Discussion 
                        ~ Hear from institutional leaders and students 
                        Moderator - Dr. Lee Bitsóí, Fort Lewis College
                        Panelists -   President Andrew Feinstein, Dyllon Mills, Eduardo Mendoza-vega
                                          Enrique Benavidez, President Lance Bolton, Nikki Larzo,
                                         Presdient Paul Johnson, Presdient Tom Stritikus 

2:45pm         

 

Signing Presentation   
                      ~ Proclamation for Educational Equity Day  
                      ~ Recognition of partners in our work
                      ~ Formal signing from institutional leaders, legislative caucus leaders, student organizations

 

                       Governor Jared Polis                      
                       Representative Leslie Herod
                       Commissioner Vanecia Kerr, Colorado Commission on Higher Education                      
                       Dr. Ryan Ross, Colorado Community College System
                       David Olguin, Colorado Commission on Higher Education
                       Shelley Banker, Colorado Department of Higher Education

3:05pm         Closing and Q&A

3:30pm         Program Concludes
                      Dr. Angie Paccione, Colorado Department of Higher Education

 

Additional Resources

 

• Colorado Department of Higher Education Master Plan:
  http://masterplan.highered.colorado.gov/read-colorado-rises/
   
• More about the Office of Educational Equity and Lumina TIE grant:
  http://masterplan.highered.colorado.gov/colorado-rises-best-practices/report-on-educational-equity/
   
• Check out our Equity Toolkit for Teaching and Learning:
  http://masterplan.highered.colorado.gov/equitytoolkit/

Endorsements 

In addition to the public signing of a commitment to the vision set out in the Report on Educational Equity, the following organizations have committed to endorsing and partnering in the work:

Westminster Public Schools Foundation

 

Inclusive Economy 

 

 

Bright Futures

 

Denver Prosperity Fund

 

Rocky Mountain Association For College Admissions Counseling

Denver Scholarship Foundation

Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce

Rocky Mountain Partnership

Denver Educational Attainment Network

Young Invincibles

Latino Commission Denver Human Rights and Community Partnerships

Acknowledgments

Coordination of this event would not have been possible without the support from the Equity Champions Coalition and the hard work of several employees at the Colorado Department of Higher Education.

Equity Champions Coalition Co-Chairs: 
David Olguin, CCHE Student Advisor, Public Affairs & Ethnic Studies Scholar, Co-Chair & Student Liaison to CDHE Equity Champion Coalition 
Dr. Ryan Ross, Associate Vice Chancellor - Student Affairs & Inclusion for CCCS and Co-Chair to CDHE Equity Champions Coalition

For questions, please contact: Shelley Banker, Senior Advisor to the Office of Educational Equity, CDHE at shelley.banker@dhe.state.co.us